1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to timed electrical power switching devices. The present invention relates more specifically to a programmable device for the timed sequential power up of a number of digital electronic devices that may be associated with access to a digital network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical home or small office computer installation will include not only one or more individual computers, but access to a network such as the Internet. This access is typically achieved through the use of a DSL or cable modem that connects to the network (the Internet) through ports provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The DSL or cable modem makes the connection to the Internet and provides that connection to the various computers within the physical location of the access point. In most cases, there is an intermediate device between the modem and the computers, typically comprising a router, either a hard wired (Ethernet) router, or more frequently these days, a wireless router. The typical home or small office setup therefore includes one or more computers which connect to the Internet through a router and then through a modem.
Computer systems in general are sensitive to power fluctuations and power interruptions. Activating or re-activating any type of digital electronic device usually involves a boot-up process whereby components and operations within the device are incrementally activated in a manner that allows for the proper functioning of the device and its interaction with the network. Within an individual device, this activation process can be adequately controlled through the use of internal timers and microprocessor controls. Unfortunately, the simultaneous activation of a number of discrete computer or digital electronic devices will often result in the conflicting activation of components and operations in a manner that prevents the proper functioning of a system or network as a whole. It is not uncommon, for example, in a networked computer system such as described above, for all three devices within the home or small office network to be activated at the same time when power has been interrupted, either intentionally or unintentionally. If the computer is activated at the same time as the modem, it is not uncommon for the sequence of steps within the computer to look for an available Internet access port before the modem has fully booted up and provided such access. Add to this the boot up process for an independent router, and the computer is often left unable to access a network during its boot up in a manner that stops the overall process from continuing and prevents the system from being fully functional.
In addition to power fluctuations and interruptions, computer systems that are connected to networks are also sensitive to network signal interruptions. Even where a network signal is only momentarily interrupted (as, for example through a remote power interruption with the Internet Service Provider), the re-connection of the signal source does not automatically re-set the network connection through the modem and/or the router to the computer. It is not uncommon in circumstances where an Internet connection is interrupted from the Internet Service Provider (ISP) for the router and/or the modem to require a re-start. As with power interruptions, it is often necessary for the modem to carry out its boot up process before presenting the network signal to the router, and likewise for the router to carry out its boot up process before presenting a network signal to the computer.
Even within individual digital electronic devices, there is often the need for a time period of power off condition to all of the internal components in order to re-set the device and prepare it for a power up process. A typical instruction is to wait fifteen seconds, for example, after the power down of a computer, before activating power again, so as to allow for the internal systems of the computer to re-set and thereafter properly boot back up. Similar delay times are often recommended for activation of modems and routers with the occurrence of either an intentional or unintentional power interruption. When these delays are compounded by multiplying the number of digital devices that are trying to automatically power up at the same time, it is not surprising that the final result of a fully functional and Internet accessible computer is not easily achievable.
It would be desirable to have a manner of automatically starting or re-starting a computer network system involving computers, routers, and modems, in a manner that prevented the discrete boot up operations of one device from interfering or occurring before the necessary operations in another device. It would be desirable if such a system could be programmed for the start up wait times that would be appropriate for each of the different types of devices. It would be desirable if such a system could be implemented through a single intentional activation by the user, or could be automatically activated in the event of an unintentional power interruption condition.
While many computer systems, including laptops, personal computers, and the like, have power switches associated with them, most modems and routers do not. It is typically necessary to unplug modems and routers to power them down and then manually plug them back in to power them back up. While there are reasons for structuring modems and routers in this manner, this structural approach does create an additional problem for users that are attempting to incrementally activate the typical home or small office network system of modem to router to computer.